Safe Speed Forums

10:30 - 20 June 2005 A network of 150 flashing road signs is being planned for Leicestershire's most dangerous roads in the latest bid to cut accidents.

The move comes as figures show that, despite a high number of speed cameras in place, the number of fatalities is not falling significantly.

Nineteen people have died on the county's roads since January - just one fewer than this time last year.

Transport bosses hope that placing a series of vehicle-activated signs before bends, junctions and stretches of road where speed limits change will stop potential accidents.

Motoring groups have backed the plan by Leicestershire County Council because drivers prefer to get a warning about how fast they are going, rather than an automatic fine.

Nick Rushton, county council transport spokesman, said: "These signs are absolutely fantastic.

"They are not just about reducing speed, but they make people instantly aware that there is a potential hazard coming up.

"The fact is that the sign makes the driver more alert about their speed, and they realise it is there for a good reason.

Leicester City Council has already recognised the benefit of the signs and has been establishing a number of sites across the city.

The county council's proposals, which could cost £1.1 million, is part of a long-term transport plan which will be used to bid for money from the Government.

Although the exact locations for the signs have not been confirmed, the sites will be chosen according to how many serious accidents there have been over recent years. Similar signs have already been installed at several sites across the county, including the A6 near Kibworth and near Castle Donington.

Speed-camera bosses said the signs were an important tool in controlling speeding, and could be essential for preventing accidents in places where cameras cannot be placed.

Richard Dixon, project manager of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Safety Camera Scheme said: "Speed is a major issue in rural areas, and there is no doubt it contributes to many accidents.

"However, there is such strict criteria about where you can have a camera.

"For a fixed camera, there must have been at least four serious crashes over a certain amount of time. If the accident rate drops off, the camera may be removed.

"These signs are definitely useful in helping to reduce speed where we don't have cameras."

A spokesman for the AA road organisation said that it had supported the use of the signs in evidence it gave to Parliament backing the idea earlier this year.

He said: "They are very popular because drivers don't feel like they're being victimised like they do with speed cameras.

"There's often the feeling that cameras are just out to generate an income, so people don't take the message behind them seriously."

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